Wall air conditioner

ABSTRACT

A wall air conditioner having an external face simulating the appearance of the wall in which it is mounted, the face having a plurality of spaced apart, horizontal openings melding with the external face, each opening connecting to the inlet side of an elongated rotary air compressor, the air compressor being interconnected to a single drive source, the drive source also driving a plurality of air compressors for external makeup air and a single air compressor for evaporator circulation.

United States Patent inventor Samuel M. Ruth 226 South Burnet St., EastOrange, NJ. 07018 Appl. No. 48,309

Filed June 22, I970 Patented Dec. 21, 1971' WALL AIR CONDITIONER 10Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 62/429, 62/426, 415/60, 415/122, 165/127, 62/263 Int. Cl F25d17/06 Field 01 Search 415/60,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES [PATENTS 1,949,993 3/1934 Dahlstrand165/127 3,180,403 4/1965 Breen 165/127 Primary Examiner-William J. WyeAttorneyPopper, Bain, Bobis 8; Gilfillan ABSTRACT: A wall airconditioner having an external face simulating the appearance of thewall in which it is mounted, the face having a plurality of spaced rt,horizontal openings melding with the external face, e c openingconnecting to the inlet side of an elongated the air compressor beisource, the drive sou sors for external ma evaporator circulation.

ry air compressor, 'nterconnec to a single drive driving a plurality ofair compresp air and a single air compressor for [Ill WALL AIRCONDITIONER BACKGROUND Oi INVENTION it has been found that central airconditioning is not economically feasible in certain buildingconstruction. in particular, many apartment buildings are being providedwith wall-type air conditioners for each apartment.

The usual wall-type air conditioner includes an external face comprisinga bank of relatively thin fins connected to the condensing coils of theair conditioner. Such an external face is esthetically ugly and defacesthe building.

Air conditioners are available which have more esthetically pleasingexternal faces but which nevertheless are obviously an air conditioner.

lt is esthetically more acceptable to provide a wall-type airconditioner having an external appearance which melds with the externalappearance of the wall in which it is mounted. For instance, manybuildings, including small office buildings and apartments are providedwith a wall facing of brick or simulated stone. lt is desirable toprovide an external face on each conditioner which merges with andbecomes a part of the same brick or stone facing of the building.

in order to provide the wall air conditioner with a face which blendswith the building wall, a plurality of openings must be provided for theadmission of air to circulate over the condensing coils. If the usualrotary or blade fan is employed, there will be an excessive reduction inair flow over the condensing coils caused by the impedance generated bythe facing construction. Thus, new means must be provided for the moreefficient suction of air through the facing and circulation over thecondensing coils.

in the present invention, the means comprise a plurality of elongatedrotary air compressors the inlet side of each one of which is connectedto one of the longitudinally elongated horizontal openings in the face.The rotary compressors are driven by a plurality of interengaged gearson the ends thereof, one of the gears being connected to a drive gearfrom a single motor. This motor also drives a fan for circulation of airover the evaporated coils.

Since each opening in the face is provided with its own rotary aircompressor, there is not only a substantially increased air flow at eachopening but there is an even distribution of air flow over thecondensing coils.

SUMMARY OF lNVENTlON A wall air conditioner comprising a housing, asidewall on the housing having a plurality of elongated, spaced apartopenings, a plurality of elongated rotary air compressors in the housingpositioned generally parallel to the openings, the inlet side of eachcompressor being connected to at least one open ing, a refrigerantcondenser coil in the housing in air intercepting relationship to therotary compressors, means for driving the rotary compressors, arefrigerant evaporator coil in the housing, refrigerant compressor andcycle means connected to the evaporator and condenser coils and meansfor circulating air from without the housing over the evaporator coils.

PREFERRED EM BODlMENT OF INVENTION The objects and advantages aforesaidas well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the wall airconditioner claimed herein, a preferred embodiment of which isillustrated in the drawings in which:

FlG. l is a side elevational cross-sectional view of the wall airconditioner taken along line 1-1 in FIG. 2 looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

FlG. 2 is a top plan view of the wall air conditioner with the topthereof removed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the wall air conditionercomprises a housing 11 having sidewalls l2 and 13, a bottom 14, a top 15and an interior face 16. The front of the housing 11 is provided with aface 17 which conforms to and blends with the wall, the structure inwhich the air conditioner is mounted. The face 17 comprises a supportmember 18 having a plurality of elongated generally horizontal spacedapart openings i9, 19 etc. The structural member is provided with apiurality of simulated bricks 20, 20 etc. mounted thereon between theopenings 19, 19. The bricks 20 are secured to the structural member 18by means of a seat 22 having generally opposed flange members 23 and 24.

While the face 17 has been shown and described as having simulatedbricks 20, 20 applied thereto, any material which conforms to thematerial from which the wall of the building in which the airconditioner is mounted is suitable. For instance, the bricks 20, 20could be wooden or synthetic siding, simulated or genuine stone, graniteor the like. In addition, the particular seat means 22 shown anddescribed is not in and of itself critical to the invention. Rather, thestructural member 18 should be provided with some means for theapplication of a facing material which blends with and simulates thefacing material from which the wall in which the air conditioner ismounted is fabricated.

The structural member 18 is provided with a plurality of passages 25communicating between the openings 18 and the inlet side of rotarycompressors 26.

The rotary compressors 26 are elongated, extending across the face 17 ofthe housing 11 opposite each of the passages 25 so that each opening 19is provided with a rotary compressor 26.

Each of the rotary compressors 26 is provided with a bevel gear 27 onone end thereof. The respective bevel gears 27 of adjacent rotarycompressors 26 are interchanged so that the compressor blades 28 ofadjacent compressors 26 must be oppositely oriented so that the inlet orvacuum side of each of the compressors 26 connects with each of thepassages 25 in the structural member 18.

The outlet or high-pressure side 29 of each of the compressors 26 liesin just a position to a bank of refrigerant condenser coils with courselaterally parallel to each of the rotary compressors 26 generally alongtheir length. The condenser coils 30 may be wrapped with aluminum in theusual fashion.

A second bank of rotary compressors 32 are provided in front of the sameopenings l9, 19 but on the opposite side of the face 17. Compressors 32are also provided with bevel gears 33 which are interengaged with eachother and are positioned in general opposition to the bevel gears 27 onthe other rotary compressors 26. Compressors 32 may be employedalternatively for the expulsion of waste air after passing over thecondenser coils or for the admission of fresh air makeup which may bepassed over the evaporator coils 47. In order to employ the compressors32 as a source of makeup air, baffle means 35 must be provided in thehousing 11 extending from the top to the bottom thereof dividing thecompressors 26 from the compressors 32. An appropriate ventilatingdamper 34 may be provided in the baffle 35 which walls off theevaporator coils 47. In addition, the side 13 of housing 11 may beprovided with an open louver for the ventilation of reject air passingover the condenser coils. The particular orientation of air circulationin the housing 11 is a matter of choice but the use of two independentbanks of rotary compressors 26 and 32 is novel.

In addition, if the face ll7 of the housing 11 is to be flush with thewall of the building in which it is mounted, means must be provided forthe escape of air passing over the condenser coils. Under suchcircumstances, the rotary compressors 32 would normally be employed toreject air from the housing 11 rather than for makeup air. A separateventilating damper 36 may be provided in the weather barrier 35 for theadmission of fresh air passing into the housing from the bottom 14. inthis regard it should be noted that the housing 11 is normally mountedwith a space between the bottom member 37 of the facing 17 and theopening of the wall in which it is mounted.

In order to drive the rotary compressors 26, 32, a single motor 38 isemployed. The motor 38 is mounted in the housing 11 and includes agenerally horizontal drive shaft 39 extending in the direction of therotary compressors 26 and 32.

The terminal end of the output shaft 39 is provided with a bevel gear40'which is meshed with one each of the bevel gears 27 and 32 connectedrespectively to rotary compressors 26 and32. Thus rotation of shaft 39causes simultaneous rotation of all of the rotary compressors 26, 32.

The motor 38 is also provided with an output shaft 41 on the oppositeside thereof extending through the weather barrier 35. Shaft 41 isprovided with a propeller type of evaporator fan 42 for the circulationof air over the evaporator coils 33. The usual filter 43 is provided infront of the evaporator coils 33. Normally the fan 42 draws air throughthe filter 43 over the coils 33 and rejects through a vent 44 in the topof the housing 11. It should also be noted that a squirrel cage orrotary fan may be substituted for the blade fan 42.

The usual refrigerant cycling means such as a compressor 45 is mountedin the housing 11 andthe condenser coils 30 and evaporator coils 33 areconnected therethrough. In addition, the usual electrical controls orelectromechanical controls may be employed and are a matter of choice.Moreover, the usual condensate disposal ports 46, are provided.

It will be observed that the plurality of rotary compressors 32 providenot only increased circulation through the relatively small openings 19in the face 17 but also better distribution of air over the condensingcoils 30. Moreover, the second bank of rotary compressors 32 providerapid rejection of heated air from the housing 11 thus in combinationwith rotary compressors 26 provide positive push-pull air circulationover the condensing coils insuring the most efficient operationpossible. Moreover, although a large number of rotary compressors areemployed, only one motor 38 is needed to drive all rotary compressors 26and 32 as well as the evaporator fan 42. This results not only inmechanical and space efficiency but also thermal efficiency by limitingthe amount of heat generated by the motor. In this regard, a single,large relatively powerful motor generates less heat than a plurality ofrelatively inefficient smaller motors which might be employed to driveeach of rotary compressors 26 and 32. In addition, the position of themotor 38 intermediate the rotary compressors 26 and 32 insures efficientcooling air flow over the motor 38.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodimentof the invention. The component parts have been shown and described.They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similarfunction; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for thesaid components and may have actually been known or invented before thepresent invention.

I claim:

1. A wall air conditioner comprising a. a housing,

b. a front face on the housing having a plurality of elongated, spacedapart openings,

c. a plurality of elongated, rotary air compressors in the housingpositioned generally parallel to the openings, the inlet side of eachrotary air compressor being connected to at least one opening,

d. a refrigerant condenser coil in the housing in an interceptingrelationship to the outlet side of the rotary air compressors,

e. means for driving the rotary air compressors,

f. a refrigerant evaporator coil in the housing,

g. refrigerant compressor and recycling means connected to condenser andevaporator coils, and

h. means for circulating air from without the housing over theevaporator coils.

. A wall air conditioner comprising,

. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which the rotary aircompressors are driven from a single power source. 7 I

. A wall air conditioner comprising the structure in accordance withclaim 2 in which each of the rotary air compressors is operativelyconnected to the immediately adjacent compressors for mutual rotation.

. A wall air conditioner comprising the structure in accordance withclaim 1 and a first bank of elongated rotary air compressors in thehousing positioned generally parallel to the opening, the inlet side ofeach compressor in the first bank being connected to at least oneopening, and

c. a second bank of elongated rotary air compressors in the housingpositioned generally parallel and connected to the openings.

5. A wall air conditioner comprising the structure in accordance withclaim 4 in which the outlet side of each rotary air compressor in thesecond bank is connected to at least one of the openings.

. A wall air conditioner comprising the structure in accordance withclaim 5 in which the rotary air compressors are driven from a singlesource of power.

. A prime air mover comprising a wall housing a plurality of elongatedspaced apart openings,

a plurality of rotary air compressors mounted on one side of the wallpositioned generally parallel to the openings in the wall, each rotaryair compressor being connected for forced air passage with at least oneopening.

8. A prime air mover comprising a. the structure in accordance withclaim 7 in which b. the face of the supporting wall is provided withdecorative members intermediate the openings.

9. A prime air mover comprising a. the structure in accordance withclaim 7 in which b. the rotary air compressors are mechanicallyoperatively interconnected for drive by a single power source.

10. A prime air mover comprising a. the structure in accordance withclaim 8 and b. a mechanical coupling means on one end of each rotary aircompressor, the said mechanical coupling means of immediately adjacentcompressors being mechanically operatively interconnected,

c. drive means,

d. the drive means being operatively connected to one of the saidmechanical coupling means to drive each of the compressorssimultaneously.

1. A wall air conditioner comprising a. a housing, b. a front face onthe housing having a plurality of elongated, spaced apart openings, c. aplurality of elongated, rotary air compressors in the housing positionedgenerally parallel to the openings, the iNlet side of each rotary aircompressor being connected to at least one opening, d. a refrigerantcondenser coil in the housing in an intercepting relationship to theoutlet side of the rotary air compressors, e. means for driving therotary air compressors, f. a refrigerant evaporator coil in the housing,g. refrigerant compressor and recycling means connected to condenser andevaporator coils, and h. means for circulating air from without thehousing over the evaporator coils.
 2. A wall air conditioner comprising,a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the rotary aircompressors are driven from a single power source.
 3. A wall airconditioner comprising a. the structure in accordance with claim 2 inwhich b. each of the rotary air compressors is operatively connected tothe immediately adjacent compressors for mutual rotation.
 4. A wall airconditioner comprising a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 andb. a first bank of elongated rotary air compressors in the housingpositioned generally parallel to the opening, the inlet side of eachcompressor in the first bank being connected to at least one opening,and c. a second bank of elongated rotary air compressors in the housingpositioned generally parallel and connected to the openings.
 5. A wallair conditioner comprising a. the structure in accordance with claim 4in which b. the outlet side of each rotary air compressor in the secondbank is connected to at least one of the openings.
 6. A wall airconditioner comprising a. the structure in accordance with claim 5 inwhich b. the rotary air compressors are driven from a single source ofpower.
 7. A prime air mover comprising a. a wall housing a plurality ofelongated spaced apart openings, b. a plurality of rotary aircompressors mounted on one side of the wall positioned generallyparallel to the openings in the wall, each rotary air compressor beingconnected for forced air passage with at least one opening.
 8. A primeair mover comprising a. the structure in accordance with claim 7 inwhich b. the face of the supporting wall is provided with decorativemembers intermediate the openings.
 9. A prime air mover comprising a.the structure in accordance with claim 7 in which b. the rotary aircompressors are mechanically operatively interconnected for drive by asingle power source.
 10. A prime air mover comprising a. the structurein accordance with claim 8 and b. a mechanical coupling means on one endof each rotary air compressor, the said mechanical coupling means ofimmediately adjacent compressors being mechanically operativelyinterconnected, c. drive means, d. the drive means being operativelyconnected to one of the said mechanical coupling means to drive each ofthe compressors simultaneously.